Nurse Names
by MarlonBrandoh
Summary: How do Newsies get their nicknames?


**John, a starting Newsie, needs a nickname that differentiates him from the rest of the street rats that share his name.  
**

"Ya need a name."

"Wot?"

"What, you'se got lint in ya' ear a-sumthin'? Ya need a name!"

"My names a-John."

"Na, na, na, sumthin' we could caull ya!"

"Ya could caull me John!"

Groaning ensured all around the two newsboys in the middle of the room. Jack Kelly shoved Mush aside, although not in a hostile manner. Mush wasn't explaining it well and they'd run around in circles trying to if he continued to talk. They were all in the lodge early in the morning, boys half naked and half dressed (Boots and Pie Eater argued over which was the real way to say it), all half listening to their conversation.

John was just starting as a newsies after having nowhere to go to. He was fifteen and short, but fairly muscular with dark brown hair and thick eyebrows. His appearance when he'd arrived told them that he hadn't been out on the street for too long before coming to the lodge. They'd welcomed him with open arms, as did for them and anyone else that wisely chose them over the Refuge. John had come late the night before, giving no room for many immediate introductions. Besides, they were still trying to figure out what they should introduce him as, just in case anybody started looking for him.

That was actually the reason for nicknames around there: Most newsies and kids on the street were runaways, and if they kept their real name they'd be found easier. That, and sometimes their names had ties to unfortunate events. A new name was like a new start to some Newsies, although others just considered it a way to fool the cops into thinking they were more unified than they really were.

"A-nickname, like a..." Jack trailed off, looking around and allowing people to finish the sentence.

"Johnny!" "Jo!" "Hon!"

Many stopped what they were doing to look around and see who'd suggested 'Hon', and after a moment they began teasing and bouncing around a young red faced seventeen year old.

Rolling his eyes at the mistaken interjection, but still grinning, Jack nodded. "Like tat'."

"Oh... I unno'... wots it take t'get a-nick round' hea' then?" John asked, practically desperate to not be the outsider in the great group of boys. He'd been that before he ran away, and was determined not to have it happen again. Being excluded never did anything for anybody, he knew that for a fact.

Jack didn't answer him, just patted his shoulder as he walked past him for the showers.

* * *

Over the next week, John was watched like a hawk by the other Newsies. At first he thought it was because they didn't trust him, but he soon found out the reason was less of a worry: they were trying to get him a nickname. For now they called him by his real name. When he asked around, thinking this was odd, they told him that they did that for everyone. This barely eased his suspicions. Now, he was 'forced' to watch what he was doing or be stuck with a silly nickname such as "Mr. Bounces."

None of them really took it seriously. They'd patiently but blatantly stare at him over crates and ask him questions that no-one in their right mind would care about. When they came to their decision, it shocked John to his core.

"_Bush_?" He exclaimed, his eyebrows rising as high as they could. His forehead crinkled considerately. "You'se starin' at me like a-bunch-a dougs, and I get _Bush_?"

"Ya." Blink nodded, looking quite proud of himself.

John couldn't, for the life of him figure out why they'd decided to call him that, so he asked.

"Don't worry about it!" Blink winked, looking him up and down as if he were disappointed (it was obvious to John that he wasn't).

John-_Bush _contemplated the meaning behind the nickname for the next few hours when he could spare a thought that wasn't "Extra!". Mumbling the word repeatedly, he suspected it had some relation to his hair. Not a second later, with a horrified look on his face, it occurred to him why they'd call him that. He was right to some degree, it had to do with hair, but not on his _head_...

_"Blink, you'se a-bastard! I'm gonna get ya!"_


End file.
